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Aspiring dancer has sights set on Etobicoke School of the Arts

The gaggle of girls gets into position. Moments later their cue roars from the speakers: “High School” by hip-hop artist Nicki Minaj.

The teens move in unison. They jump left, lean forward, lift their arms, step back and twist sinewy limbs, all while moving and shaking.

Veronica Jones, 13, is no stranger to competition -- and is rarely nervous. But, she says, her audition to get into the Etobicoke School of the Arts will be a nerve wracking experience. (Carlos Osorio / Toronto Star)

“I love the freedom of movement, being able to, just, let it all go, do all the movements and show a story,” says daner Veronica Jones, shown forefront at the Gotta Dance studio. . (Carlos Osorio / Toronto Star)

Veronica Jones, a 13-year-old who moves her lithe body effortlessly, never misses a step, a scoop or a swoop — despite having just minutes earlier learned the breakdown from hip-hop choreographer Ambitious Anthony Smith. She’s a quick study.

Smith urges the class of about 20, at the west-end studio Gotta Dance Inc., to convey more attitude. They happily oblige, hamming it up hip-hop style, until the music stops and the attitude gives way to peals of laughter.

Veronica is beaming. In the dance studio, she’s in her element, seamlessly switching between styles: tap, jazz, ballet, acro, lyrical and hip-hop.

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She loves dancing. It’s a passion she hopes to nurture in high school — as in, the actual school, not the song.

Like many students in Grade 8, Veronica is at a fork in the road. The path she takes could propel her life into very different directions.

ESA is Veronica’s top pick — a choice, she hopes, will put her on track to pursuing dance studies at the post-secondary level.

And while she says she might want to be a dance teacher when she grows up, the animal lover says she could also see herself as a veterinarian. It all depends on what happens in the intervening years.

Last year, in drama class Veronica choreographed a dance routine to One Direction’s “Live While We’re Young” and taught it to some of her classmates. She relished the experience, in part because she is a huge fan of the boy band.

For Veronica, dancing has long been a deep-rooted passion, first sown when she was just 3 years old and prancing around in a tutu.

“I love the freedom of movement, being able to, just, let it all go, do all the movements and show a story,” says the teen.

She’s no stranger to dancing competitively and has done so since the age of 6. Rarely, if ever, is she nervous about competing. But, she suspects auditioning for ESA will be nerve-wracking because the stakes are higher.

“There’s always next time with competitions,” says Veronica. “But there’s only one audition (for ESA).”

Her final year at Runnymede, a school she’s attended since kindergarten, will be hectic and filled with big decisions. As in other years, she will have to juggle school work — to keep up her B/A average — with evening and weekend dance lessons at the studio. Often she spends about 12 hours a week dancing, more when preparing for a competition.

But this year, there will be an added dimension. There will be visits with her parents to the open houses of schools she’s considering. Plus, that audition for ESA that she’ll need to ace.

Ultimately, the high school Veronica chooses will be her decision, says mom Ambica Jones.

“I would like for her to try out for ESA because of her love for the arts — if she can do it and it’s a great fit, I think it would be great,” says Jones. “Learning from teachers in a school-like setting is going to be good for her because it’s different than when you’re learning in a studio and are being taught choreography.

“In a school, they’re probably teaching you more about the history of dance, rather than just dance for the sake of dancing.”

Veronica admits she’ll be crestfallen if she doesn’t get into ESA.

“It wouldn’t kill me if I didn’t get it. But, I would be sad.”

But no matter what happens, she says she won’t hang up her dance shoes.

Veronica’s story is the third in a four-part series about students at a crossroads. The Star will follow up with our students throughout the school year.

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